Republic Day Weekend 2026
Sat Jan 24 – Mon Jan 26, 2026
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Beat the NICE Road and Mysore Expressway traffic. This is critical for a long weekend.
Pack luggage Friday night.
Stop for tea before Ramanagara.
Final decent stop with clean facilities before entering the Tiger Reserves.
Recommended: Suraj Mansion/Misty RockBeautiful drive. Keep eyes peeled for deer, peacocks, and elephants.
🚨 NO STOPPING / NO FEEDING / NO LITTERING
DRIVER ALERT: Use 2nd gear. Watch for overheated engines.
The most scenic but challenging climb into Ooty. Maintain steady momentum.
Highest peak in Nilgiris. Reach before 3 PM to avoid the heavy afternoon fog.
1848 heritage gardens. See the fossil tree and various plant glasshouses.
Indoor demo of tea processing and a great chocolate factory outlet.
TIP: Buy the home-made chocolates here; they are better than town shops.
Terraced gardens. Best visited for the sunset view over Ooty town.
Early morning drive towards the Avalanche forest range.
The most pristine turquoise lake view. Only reachable via Forest Dept vehicles.
Local mess near Emerald village for authentic mountain food.
Arrive early to collect unreserved tickets if IRCTC booking was missed.
The scenic ride from Ooty to Coonoor. Sit on the LEFT side for valley views.
Dramatic canyon views and a clear look at Catherine Falls across the valley.
Beware of Monkeys here. Keep bags inside the car.
Standard pedal boating. Skip if the queue is longer than 30 minutes.
Early start to enjoy Pykara before the return journey traffic builds up.
Massive lake with pine forest backdrop. Take the 8-seater speedboat for the group.
Cascading river views. It's a short walk from the parking. Watch your step on the wet rocks.
Expansive grasslands famous for Bollywood filming. Best for group photos.
Descend via Gudalur route. It is safer for the brakes than Kalhatti during return trips.
Turn towards Kanakapura at Gundlupet to avoid the massive Mysore-Bangalore expressway gridlock on Monday evening.
Home sweet home. Plan for a light dinner on the highway before reaching the city.